Learning Beyond the Classroom
In fulfilling our mission of educating and training future lawyers, at Colorado Law we are aware that learning happens in many ways. As always, we provide a solid foundation in the fundamentals of law and vigorous theoretical inquiry, while our students also gain deep contextual understanding of specific areas of law and a range of practical legal skills. The case method and teaching by Socratic dialogue are ways of learning doctrine and critical analysis鈥攖hinking like a lawyer. Learning also through action provides important opportunities to coalesce ideas through experiences that are savored for a lifetime.
To that end, the theme of this issue of Amicus is Learning Beyond the Classroom, a theme that captures an important part of a Colorado Law education. Often called 鈥渆xperiential learning,鈥� opportunities beyond traditional classroom learning abound at Colorado Law. These include clinics, externships, internships, and the public service pledge program, as well as moot court, mock trial, and transactional competitions. In addition, 97 percent of our students work as clerks or interns in legal jobs in the summer. Hands-on training and practice-based experiences are invaluable to our students and their future employers.
Our long history of experience-based training spans our legacy and is continued in our clinics. Our Legal Aid Clinic, one of the first in the nation, launched in 1948 after the law school, thanks to the efforts of Professor Clyde Martz, obtained approval from the Colorado Supreme Court to authorize students to practice law under the Student Practice Rule. In the past 70 years we have grown to nine clinics that each year provide free legal services to between 600 and 700 clients in our community. Our robust offerings at Colorado Law allow any student who wants to take a clinic to do so. We are dedicated to offering the education and skills our students need to succeed as legal professionals in the modern world.
Whether or not you participated in a clinic, I encourage you to join us at the law school on May 24, 2018, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of our clinics. This gathering will highlight the clinics鈥� accomplishments over the year, and provide an opportunity to reconnect with classmates and friends.
Please know I always welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas, as well as your questions and concerns. Please feel free to reach out to me directly at 303-492-3084 and lawdean@colorado.edu.
S. James Anaya
Dean and Charles Inglis Thomson Professor
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